sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

I was staging the preserved Brown Marmorated Stink Bug under magnification and I thought that I could see a piece of crud on one of its legs. When I looked at it with my 8X magnifying loop I could see that it was in fact a tiny insect of some type. Increasing the magnification of the lens setup with microscope objective, extension tubes and teleconverter I was able to get this insect into view to photograph it.

To put this into perspective, the brown dots are the pinpoint dots of the stink bug and this insect has its legs on one of the stink bugs legs.

This is by far one of the smallest and most strange insects that I have yet to come across including mites that I have found on insects before.

As always, thanks ever so much to all those who view and for your comments, suggestions, questions and critique.

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newtoyou Loc: Eastport

I don't find the bug strange, but the relationship unknown to me. But then, a lot is unknown to me.
This, I believe, is a Sycamore, (or Ash, Hickory, or Mulberry) Lace bug.
They feed on leaves and cause wilt and leaf drop. The only reason I see for this behavior would be phoresy, hitching a ride. I don't believe it would feed on the MSB.
Mark, Doc, anyone else have any ideas?
When I was just getting an interest in insects and small creepy crawlers these were common. I found them in large numbers in rusted out 55 gallon drums partly filled with water in the weedlots around my house. Old lots were plentiful, this being 1050's. There were also Drain Flies, Clogmia sp..
Somewhat similar in features to the bug.
Subject shift. A general FYI.
You have tried light on a sheet at night for collecting.Two improvements. A roll up projector screen reflects and draws better.
A high intensity bulb works well because of the light, a lot of UV.
These will be in a quartz jacket to stand the heat.
I just got a Sunpak Auto Triac 3001 for that purpose. A fuse and a bulb under $10 on Ebay, three or more times that in my local hardware dealer. The unit can be gotten on Ebay for little outlay.
THIS is FAR superior to just any light AND MANY BLACK LIGHTS.
Enjoy the day, Gary, all.
Bill

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Bill, thanks for the reply and I suspect that the hitchhiker theory is a good one. I suspect that they frequent the same plants in their daily travels and this little bugger thought that this big leg was a handy twig to climb on and then it carried him away.

I think this is how Uber got started.

tinusbum Loc: east texas

good catch,lace bug

newtoyou Loc: Eastport

In trying to find more information on wikipedia I found a new way to waste time. Most is geared to selling you a control service, A service needed about never. Like mosquito control 'experts'. Shotgun spray of more chemicals. We need that?
I hope someone can shed more light.
Bill

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Bill, Tinusbum agrees with your identification as a Lacewing. I suspect that it must be a nymph of some stage for when I look at Lacewing images I don't notice the spikes on their wings. In fact, they are quite lovely and this little bugger is not so much so.

tinusbum Loc: east texas

not lacewing,lacebug

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Oh....Opps...Bill brought that to my attention also. I know very little about the amazing world of entomology which shows at times.

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

Agree it is a lacebug, which are plant sucking Hemipterans. It would be an inadvertent stow-away among your specimens, and got stuck onto the stink bug by chance.
They are very beautiful and strange, especially when viewed from above. I recommend that you carefully pluck it up with a moistened tip of a needle. The surface tension of the moisture will grab this small and light thing quite well. Try to put it down right side up on a tiny dab of glue to photograph. Be careful breathing while doing this, as the merest puff of air would send it flying until the glue sets.